Cinedeck RX Multi Format/Channel, Recorder, Monitor & Playback:

Cinedeck announced it has broken new ground for broadcasters with the launch of Cinedeck RX. Cinedeck RX is a rack mountable multi-format, multi-channel HD-SDI recorder, monitor and playback system that ushers in a new era for production facilities and OB productions.

Cinedeck RX extends the innovations of the pioneering Cinedeck EXTREME to the unique, challenging requirements of the mobile broadcaster. Tapping feedback and input from some of the industry’s more respected broadcast engineers, Cinedeck developed hardware highly tailored to meet the specialized demands of the mobile broadcaster:

Record: Cinedeck RX captures in all leading production formats to cost effective storage media. Cinedeck RX natively supports all Avid DNxHD formats (wrapped as MXF OPAtom or QuickTime), all Apple ProRes formats including 4444, CineForm and uncompressed 444 (10-bit) or 422 (8- or 10-bit). Its unique “double dual-stream” feature provides two stream simultaneous file capture to a pair of disks with backup copies for redundancy. This offers the flexibility to capture two discrete feeds at a time using the same compression format, each writing redundant disk copies simultaneously (a total of 4 resultant files) or capture one feed with two different compression formats, with redundant disk copies of each; for example: 1 Avid DNxHD, 1 Apple ProRes, or 1 Hi-Res and 1 Low-Res. Cinedeck RX is the first product to offer simultaneous native support of both industry standards.

Monitor: Cinedeck RX monitors video in realtime with the high-resolution 7″ display while using an array of onscreen image analysis tools such as edge focus, clipping, waveform, vectorscope and histogram to seize perfect control of the recorded images. Users can monitor audio via the headphone jack and toggle between audio inputs while simultaneously viewing the on-screen recording level display. An intuitive touchscreen user interface eliminates confusion and training time.

Playback: Cinedeck RX enables users to review shots instantly in any order via VTR-style controls on the high quality screen or realtime on an external HD-SDI or HDMI monitor.

When we launched Cinedeck, we set out to change the way cinematographers created their art. Today, were doing that all over again for the mobile broadcaster,” said Alan Hoff, CEO of Cinedeck. “The world of mobile broadcasting has reached a cross roads; the technology that has traditionally served them has reached obsolescence. Cinedeck RX extends the versatility of Cinedeck EXTREME to the mobile broadcaster, solving their greatest challenges and simplifying their production workflow exponentially.

Dylan Boucherle is the director of technology and lead editor for 441 Productions, an Emmy Award-winning production company noted for their work in television, documentaries and television shows for all of the major networks. Boucherle and his team is well-acquainted with Cinedeck and is currently on location shooting a program using 8 Cinedeck EXTREMEs in a multi-camera environment. Boucherle had this to say about the impact of Cinedeck RX:

In our search for a tapeless solution, Cinedeck has solved many of the challenges we face in the field everyday, from its support of native Avid DNxHD, Apple ProRes and CineForm, to its ability to handle whatever storage drives we want. The ability to simply hand off these drives to the edit team, regardless of the editing platform theyre on, be it Avid, Final Cut Pro, and have them start editing right away, with no import or digitizing time is a huge time and money saver in Post. Cinedeck is a must have on every shoot, due to it’s size and versatility. Taking this capability and extending it to a rack-mounted solution tailored for companies like ours make it a no-brainer. Features such as dual record, multi-codec support from a single device, multiple eSATA ports for redundancy and backup are invaluable to us. When youre shooting on a tight deadline, can cut down on set-up time and move right to edit, youre ahead of the game.

Versatility: Cinedeck RX is a network accessible recording deck and preview/playback monitor in a compact 4RU half-rack package. Cinedeck RX supports realtime up/down/cross conversion to enable a painless transition to new production formats. It also captures stereoscopic 3D via HDSDI or HDMI.

Mobility: Cinedeck RX is designed for the mobile production environment, where space is at a premium and cooling and power draw are of utmost importance. The rugged milled aluminum case is built for the rigors of the road. ?Double dual-stream mode doubles the productivity in the same half-rack footprint.

Massively Compatible and Fast: With Cinedeck RX, footage is immediately ready for editing in Apple Final Cut Pro, Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro, Sony Vegas, and GV Edius. Time consuming and costly ingest and transcoding have been eliminated.

Connectivity: The choice of video, audio, and IT connections including two 3G HD-SDI inputs and outputs, HDMI input and output and multiple Gigabit Ethernet ports means it works for any production.

Control: Cinedecks groundbreaking Cinedeck Controller application is the key enabling technology for Cinedeck RX. Based on industry standard protocols, Cinedeck Controller drives up to 24 channels (12 Cinedeck RX systems) from a single interface. File management is possible either by local touchscreen operation or via a remote administrator station. This means that Cinedeck RX systems can be managed from any PC or via a browser with no additional hardware requirements. The ability to remotely record, playback, fast forward and rewind multiple Cinedeck RX units in sync makes the controller application a centralized point of control and management for any facility or OB setting.

Investment Protection: Cinedeck RX extends camera life by enabling cameras with high quality sensors to bypass their lesser quality on board tape or media recorders. Also, its architecture is designed to be able to upgrade to new features or codecs.

Pricing and Availability
The Cinedeck RX will be available in the Fall 2011, with prices starting at $14,995 US. For more information on Cinedeck RX, please visit Cinedeck.